The house unfolds on a single level, organized into two volumes that take advantage of sun exposure, privacy and the remaining green space on the plot.
An inner courtyard and carefully placed openings extend the interior spaces to the outdoors, ensuring controlled light and continuity between inside and outside.
The brown zinc cladding and triangular form of the volumes subtly reference the local vernacular, while the contemporary composition creates presence and integrates harmoniously with the surrounding vegetation.
The project is based on two premises: reconciling the requested program with the characteristics of the site. The site is located in an area where there is currently no construction on its periphery, but this will change in the near future.
The requirement to resolve the program on a single floor requires that the remaining green space become an integral part of the programmatic composition.
Therefore, the idea involves creating two volumes that, due to their programmatic content, would assume distinct positions and volumes. The volumes are positioned on the site to take advantage of the solar exposure while also interacting with the surroundings and the remaining green space. This positioning defines the development of the program.
The further inland the site, the more private and reserved the space. The composition of the volumes and their openings to the exterior provide the interior with controlled light and an extension of the interior space to the exterior.
Their form and materiality are intended to embody the typical buildings of this area.
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Project name: SM House
Architecture Office: Mário Alves Arquitetura
Main Architect: Mário Alves
Location: Ílhavo, Portugal
Year of conclusion: 2024
Total area: 380,00 m²
Architectural Photographer: Ivo Tavares Studio
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